The The Earth’s Earth’s Natural Natural RegionsRegions

EARTH'S NATURAL REGIONS

The Earth supports a wide diversity of biomes: tundra, taiga, temperate forest, grasslands, savanna, desert, montane,

tropical dry forest, tropical rain forest, and islands.

Tundra

TaigaTaiga

Temperate Forest

Grasslands

SavannaSavannaDesert

MontaneMontane

Tropical Dry ForestTropical

Dry Forest

Tropical Rain

Forest

Islands

Definitions - Biome• An ecosystem dominated by a large vegetation

formation, whose boundaries are largely determined by the climate. (Krough)

• A major type of ecosystem that covers a large geographic region. (Campbell)

• A complex of ecological communities characterized by a distinctive type of vegetation, as determined by the climate. (Wallace)

• One of several types of terrestrial ecosystems. (Lewis)

Our Definition of Biome

A biome is an ecosystem complex defined by its vegetation and

comprising a geographic region.

Definition - Ecosystem

A community of living things and the physical environment with which they interact. (Krough)

• All the organisms in a given area, along with the non-living (abiotic) factors with which they interact; a biological community and its physical environment. (Campbell)

• The biotic and abiotic factors of an ecological community considered together. Wallace)

• All organisms and their non-living environment in an area. (Lewis)

Abiotic Characteristics

Those non-living features or characteristics that influence or otherwise impact the

living organisms in an area.

WaterWater

BedrockBedrock ClimateClimate

WindWind FireFire

Total area and shape

Protective formations

Proximity to

urbanization

Total area and shape

Protective formations

Proximity to

urbanization

  Keogh Campbell Wallace Lewis

Aquatic        

Chaparral X  X  X  

Coniferous forest X

Desert x  X  X  X

Freshwater X (Ecosystem)

Marine X (Ecosystem)

Mountains X    X  

Polar Ice X

Savanna X X

Taiga(Northern, Boreal Forests)

X    X  X

Temperate Deciduous Forest

X

Temperate forest X    X  X

Temperate GrasslandPrairie, steppes, pampas, veldt)

X  X    X

Tropical Forest X

Tropical rainforest X    X  X

Tropical Savanna X      

Tundra X  X  X  X

Grassland / Savanna Woodland

X

Tropical Dry Forest X

Other X

Montane

Aquatic – Freshwater and Marine

Desert

Grasslands – Savanna, prairie, steppe, and pampas

Forests – Coniferous, northern boreal, Forests – Coniferous, northern boreal, deciduous, and tropicaldeciduous, and tropical

Mountain / MontaneMountain / Montane

Tundra

Islands? - Mountain? Aquatic?

TundraTundra

THE FROZEN PRAIRIE

This biome circles the globe at the This biome circles the globe at the highest northern latitudes and often highest northern latitudes and often has temperatures of -50F.has temperatures of -50F.

This frigid biome circles the globe at the This frigid biome circles the globe at the highest northern latitudes, between highest northern latitudes, between the taiga (to its south) and the permanent the taiga (to its south) and the permanent ice circling the North Pole. Tundra covers ice circling the North Pole. Tundra covers about one-fifth of the Earth's land surface; about one-fifth of the Earth's land surface; and winter temperatures are so cold, often and winter temperatures are so cold, often dipping to -50F, that trees find it impossible dipping to -50F, that trees find it impossible to grow. For this reason, some people to grow. For this reason, some people comment that the tundra looks like a comment that the tundra looks like a frozen prairie. frozen prairie.

In many regions of the tundra the deeper In many regions of the tundra the deeper layers of soil remain frozen throughout the layers of soil remain frozen throughout the year – a condition called year – a condition called permafrostpermafrost -- and -- and only the surface thaws during the brief only the surface thaws during the brief summer. This tough combination of harsh summer. This tough combination of harsh climate, lack climate, lack of nutrients, and of nutrients, and sparse soil team up sparse soil team up to make it very hard to make it very hard for plants to grow.for plants to grow.

Bare rock and Bare rock and scoured soils are scoured soils are everywhere in areas everywhere in areas exposed by the exposed by the withdrawal of withdrawal of massive glaciers massive glaciers after the last Ice Age. after the last Ice Age.

Montane

Montane

Desert

Grasslands and Savanna

Temperate Forest

The temperate forest biome

Northern hemisphere

Mid-latitudes in eastern North America, western Europe, and eastern Asia.

Southern hemisphere

South America, southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

Temperate forests are highly seasonal, trees are mostly deciduous -- dropping their leaves in the fall

Lower latitudes, where more broad-leaved evergreen species thrive, look somewhat like the tropical dry forest.

To the north, temperate forests blend into the pines and firs of the taiga.

Tropical Forest (Rainforests and Dry

Tropical)

STRUCTURE AND FERTILITY

Tropical rain forests are layered

Adapted to survive on poor soils.

Tree growth is luxuriant in this biome

Canopy trees reaching 100 – 200 feet

Definitions - Biosphere• The interactive collection of all the world’s

ecosystems. Also, that portion of the Earth that supports life. (Keogh)

• The global ecosystem; that portion of the Earth that is alive; all of life and where it lives. (Campbell)

• The entire part of the Earth’s land, soil, waters, and the atmosphere in which living organisms are found. (Wallace)

• The ecosystem of the entire planet. (Lewis)

Biosphere

Definition - Habitat

• The surroundings in which individuals of a species are normally found. (Keogh)

• A place where an organism lives; an environmental situation in which an organism lives (Campbell)

• The physical place where an organism lives (Lewis)

References and Resources

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/glossary/gloss5/biome/tundra.html#alp

http://www.pbs.org/kteh/cadillacdesert/home.htmlCadillac Deserts – PBS

http://www.miragemall.com/desertjpegs/imagesf.htmImages